金光明經玄義 1.24

1.24

The critical distinction of the three jewels: If one points to attaining the Way under the king of trees as the Buddha jewel, turning the wheel of the Dharma of the four truths of arising and ceasing as the Dharma jewel, and delivering the five men including Kauṇḍinya who first attained vision, knowledge, clarity, and awakening as the Saṅgha jewel; and because of these three jewels it continues down to the present, having an ensuing three jewels—this is the stepped three jewels explained in the Āgamas, also used by the Abhidharma traditions. If one points to attaining the Way under the king of trees as the Buddha jewel, the expounded four truths of non-arising as the Dharma jewel, and the two-vehicle practitioners and bodhisattvas cultivating the true undefiled state, cutting off fetters, becoming sages, and being in harmony with the principle as the Saṅgha jewel—this is also what is explained in the shared teaching of the three vehicles, used by those who investigated and clarified the Mahāyāna. Neither of these two kinds of three jewels possesses permanence, bliss, self, and purity. If one points to attaining the Way seated on the lotus pedestal in the Flower King World as the Buddha jewel, the expounded Ganges-sands buddha-dharmas and immeasurable four truths as the Dharma jewel, and the forty-one worthy ones and sages as the Saṅgha jewel—this is different from the former; though not stepped, it is not yet of identical substance, nor is it the three jewels exemplified by the Suvarṇaprabhāsa.